𝖲𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝖧𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍

𝖾𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

༄𓆉︎♫︎☀︎︎❦︎☀︎︎♫︎𓆉︎༄

      IT HAD BEEN THREE DAYS SINCE TU’AHU HAD SPOKEN TO AONUNG. Her brothers, being her brothers, accidentally let slip what happened between Aonung and Tu’ahu to their whole family. Kiri was disgusted, Tuk found it funny, Neytiri was wary, and Jake had given Tu’ahu a whole speech.

      “He’s the Chief’s son. You have to be careful.” he had said, sitting around the fire in the tent with Tu’ahu and Neytiri.

      “I know, Dad. Trust me, it won’t happen again.” Tu’ahu sighed, playing with her braids. She knew it wouldn’t happen again.

      Jake looked at Neytiri, who narrowed her eyes at him. “That’s not what I’m saying. I trust you, little one. I just want you to stay safe.” he looked at his daughter, her face illuminated by the fire.

      She nodded. “I am. I will be.” Tu’ahu continued to stare into the fire, looking at the embers burning brightly, lighting up the tent.

      Neytiri shifted over to her daughter, kneeling beside her. “My beautiful daughter. All grown up,” she placed her hand in Tu’ahu’s hair, straightening the beads. “Itetsyìp, my lovely child.” (little daughter) Neytiri whispered, placing a delicate kiss on Tu’ahu’s head.

      Neteyam and Lo’ak had noticed that their sister was a little different now. She was cautious about going in the water, and spent most of her day with Loran. She didn’t call any of her siblings morons, and she didn’t reprimand them like she often did.

      They didn’t know exactly what to think of it. Kiri had proposed that she just needed the alone time to get back into her regular routine, just like she did. Tuk didn’t like that, and she followed Tu’ahu wherever she went, trying to make her smile.

      Tu’ahu and Loran flew through the skies as the Reef People reunited with the newly returned tulkun later that day. Her other family members were in the water, but Tu’ahu felt safer in the skies. She and Tuk had taken her braids out, so her long hair flew freely in the winds.

      Loran loved the tulkun, and she flew around them, whining and groaning to them, while they sang back to her. Tu’ahu spotted Aonung in the water with a tulkun, and he glared at her when he saw her. Tu’ahu glared back and moved Loran to another area. At least something was normal again.

      She spotted her parents riding an ilu, who waved and smiled at her when they saw her. Jake motioned for her to come down into the water, but she shook her head, yipping to Loran, who flew high into the skies. They soared around the whole island, enjoying the feeling of the wind in her hair.

      Tu’ahu clicked her tongue, veering Loran towards the water. Happily Loran landed in the deep waters on the other side of the island, keeping herself afloat as Tu’ahu slid off her back into the sea. She inhaled deeply, diving down into the water, finding herself in the whole other world she hadn’t been in since the seizure.

      Perhaps it wasn’t the best idea to go into the water as deep as she went by herself on the other side of the village, but Tu’ahu wasn’t thinking about the risks. She just wanted the quiet, without her brothers, sisters and parents crowding her.

      She swam for a while, and when she came up, Loran was waiting for her, floating in the water. “Hi, sweet girl.” Tu’ahu cooed, stroking her nose. “We’re going in a few minutes, okay?” Loran grunted in response.